Soft Skills for the BPO Sector

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SOFT SKILLS

has also mastered your culture’s body language. For example, people

in the US and Canada say ‘no’ by shaking their heads back and forth

but people in Bulgaria nod up and down, people in Japan move their

right hand and people in Sicily raise their chin. Similarly, US business

people assume that a person who doesn’t meet their gaze, is evasive and

dishonest. However, in many parts of Asia, keeping one’s eyes lowered is

a sign of respect.

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Likewise, an Arab man indicates a romantic interest

in a woman by running a hand backward across his hair but most

Westerners would not see such gestures as signi cant. Conversely, an

Egyptian might mistakenly assume that a Westerner who exposes the

sole of his or her shoe is o ering a grave insult.

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Similarly, calling someone by raising your hand, then taking your

index  nger and wiggling it towards you is considered rude in places

like China, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.  ere, if you want

to get someone’s attention, you put your arm out with your palm down,

and then make scratching motions with your  ngers.

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Proxemics: Proxemics or spatial relationships is your appreciation

and sensible use of space while communicating with others.  is

‘appreciation and sensible use of space’ di ers from culture to culture.

People in Canada and the US usually stand about 5 feet apart during

a business conversation. However, this distance is uncomfortably close

FIG. 12.2 Components of Communication (Non-Verbal) Diversity

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